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Cardinals waiting for power to pick up

5/1/13: Carlos Beltran cracks a solo home run to right that puts the Cardinals on the board and in the lead in the fourth

By Joe DiGiovanni
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Special to MLB.com |

MILWAUKEE -- A year after having six players hit at least 20 home runs, the Cardinals have hit just 21 in their first 27 games.

Carlos Beltran has seven homers, but others are behind their 2012 pace. With several established players, manager Mike Matheny thinks his sluggers will start hitting homers soon.

"We've had some guys who've done it for a little while, long enough to know that it's there, and it doesn't just disappear," he said. "It's going to be there."

Matheny said it would not help for the players to start thinking about hitting homers.

"To try and force the issue, no matter what issue it is in this game, it seems like you're going to work yourself backwards," Matheny said. "What we want to do is continue to put together good at bats. If they start thinking about the home runs, it's not necessarily going to help them produce."

"They will be the first ones to tell you that typically when they hit home runs they're not thinking about it," he added. "Just stick with it, and it will all even out in the end."

Joe DiGiovanni is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.